Serbia’s student protests, which have dominated Serbian media and political life for months on end, can be traced back to the fatal collapse of a concrete roof at the entrance of a railway station in Novi Sad last November. The collapse, which killed 15 people, was largely blamed on government malpractice and rampant corruption, leading to a careless and unsafe renovation of the station in recent years.
Aleksandar Vucic, Serbia’s populist president who has more in common with Trump than most European figureheads, labelled the student protests “Color Revolutions” funded by outside sources to the tune of $3 billion euros, although he has failed to provide evidence supporting this claim.
Serbia has a complicated history with both the East and West, largely playing a balancing act between the two. The legacy of the Yugoslav Wars and NATO’s decisive role in thwarting Serbian nationalist ambitions in Bosnia and, more recently, Kosovo have historically dampened relations between Serbia and the West. Simultaneously, in a bid to improve its chances of EU accession, Serbia has fallen in line with European condemnations of Russia’s attack on Ukraine and even supplied Kyiv with ammunition. The question today is, will these protests be a catalyst for real change and a more democratic, Europe-facing Serbia, or will its failure push the populist government even further into authoritarianism?
The ongoing student protests are largely a reaction to the democratic backsliding that has been occurring over the last few years of Vucic’s presidency. Road blockades, university occupations, and long marches spanning up to 100 kilometers are some of the ways student protests have pushed for their demands. The peaceful demonstrations have been the largest in Serbian history, culminating in a rally attended by over 100,000 people in Belgrade on March 15th.
The student demands, however, are not at all calling for a change to the current regime or a call for new elections. Instead, the protesters have demanded the release of documents detailing the reconstruction of the Novi Sad train station, as well as the protection of student protesters’ rights in the face of persecution from authorities.
As perhaps evidenced by the complete lack of coverage from Western news agencies, the US and EU have not spoken out in favor of the student protestors, while Russia and China have positioned themselves alongside Vucic.
While Trump’s current crackdown on higher education rationalizes his administration’s silence on Serbian protests, what has caused such inaction from the Europeans? In a continent that has prided itself as championing some of the freest nations on Earth, what could explain their disregard as an EU candidate country descends into a struggle between transparency and censorship? Some would say that it appears that EU economic interests have been placed ahead of their democratic values. However, considering the relative lack of Serbian economic power, there must be a better explanation for the hush tone.
For over a decade, Europe has now been torn apart by internal divisions, with rogue members such as Hungary and, at times, Poland, Slovakia, and others standing firmly against the values upon which the European Union was founded. This internal fighting poses a challenge to establishing a unified response to neighboring authoritarian states. At a time when Orban’s Hungary has cracked down on freedom of speech within its own borders, it is understandably difficult to vocalize a united condemnation of Vucic. In fact, as Orban has greatly warmed up to Vucic and Serbian nationalist ideas reminiscent of his own Hungarian nationalist policies, the European Union has proven dysfunctional and incapable of condemning autocrats even within its own borders.
Despite a lack of international support, Serbian media has reported that around 80% of the Serbian population stands in support of the students’ demands, a huge win for the cause.
In this sense, the protests have been a massive success in winning over the hearts and minds of Serbians everywhere, but the question remains when and if Vucic will concede.
Although the student protests have been characterised as an overwhelmingly peaceful movement, violence from government supporters towards demonstrators has been a dark reality. Masked men accused of being contracted by the government have attacked protesters with baseball bats and other pro-government citizens have rammed into protestors with their cars.
As the police presence in the capital has increased, it is uncertain how much longer these protests will be tolerated by a populist government that has seemingly now lost its base. Protesters fear that the crackdown will become more violent as the government grapples for control.
What does the unheard-of scale of these protests mean for the future of democracy in Serbia? Ultimately, these protests have been a testament to the will of the Serbian people in fighting against censorship’s grip over their nation and for the triumph of freedom of speech. These demonstrations are completely unprecedented in Serbian history and are a reflection of the human urge to achieve justice and hold accountable those who, through lies, seek to hide the disastrous effects of their corruption and mismanagement. Despite increasing fears of government violence, the presence of these protests has only become stronger and more pronounced with time. It is unlikely that a movement supported by 80% of the population will simply blow off whether with time or government suppression.
It is impossible to determine whether Vucic will simply collapse to demands. But as things stand, the sheer force of the people may be enough to force concessions or face major political retribution. In any case, these protests have been detrimental to Vucic’s reputation and show that the Serbian people will not sit around and accept that government mismanagement and corruption lead to the death of fellow countrymen.
The lack of an EU response has meant that the rights of protestors will not be supported by outside pressures, and that, for now, their fate will be left to the will of Vucic and his government. Time will tell whether the overwhelming support of the Serbian people will be enough to force accountability and turn the tide against an increasingly autocratic regime or if, empowered by Western silence and Russian and Chinese support, this will become but a road bump in an authoritarian future.
Featured/Headline Image Caption and Citation: Protests in Downtown Belgrade, Image sourced from FMT | CC License, no changes made